Wood, Derek

I'm proud to say that I am a teacher at La Mirada High School. The 2011-2012 school marks my 16th year as a teacher at LMHS. I have a strong connection to LA Mirada as my dad was a teacher and administrator here from 1981 to 2002, and my wife is currently a teacher in the Language Arts Department. I was a coach on the varsity baseball team for several years and I am currently the coordinator for the ACE Business Academy. I have been a part of the ACE academy since its inception in 2001. I truly feel that career themed programs are the future of education. I currently teach Business Orientation (ACE Freshman), Desk Top Publishing, Web Design, and Entrepreneurship (ACE Juniors). The ACE Academy Juniors and Seniors participate in Virtual Entreprise while in thier business class. Virtual Entreprise (VE) allows high school business students to create a "virtual" business and compete against over 250 other high school around the U.S. The class provides students the opputunity to travel with their class to compete in business competitions and to sell their virtual products and services. I also have the provildge to serve as the Director of the Southern California B.E.S.T. Foundation. B.E.S.T. sponsors a competitive internship program based on the popular T.V. show hosted by Donald Trump. The B.E.S.T. foundation is a non-profit that operates on the LMHS campus. B.E.S.T. has seen 6 groups of interns complete the 7-month program and has paid out over $15,000 in scholarships to LMHS students.